December 13, 2008

Hope and change, bywords of the recent presidential campaign, are the themes of Philadelphia Theatre Company's production of Resurrection, a new play by Daniel Beaty ringing in the new year on January 23-February 22 at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (Broad and Lombard Streets). Directed by Oz Scott, this production re-unites the cast which developed the production at Arena Stage and Hartford Stage: Turron Kofi Alleyne, Che Ayende, Thuliso Dingwall, Alvin Keith, and Jeffrey V. Thompson, with the addition of Keith Randolph Smith.

In Resurrection, five men from one community ranging in age from 20 to 60 have their lives transformed by the extraordinary mind and spirit of a 10-year old boy. This story of possibility and hope examines what it means to be a black man in America today.

"I first became aware of Daniel Beaty's original voice and formidable talent when I saw a performance of Emergence-SEE! at Freedom Theatre in 2005," explains Sara Garonzik, PTC's Producing Artistic Director. "We are fortunate in being able to participate in the development of his newest work. Resurrection's themes as well as its use of an all-male ensemble are fresh and exciting and very much of this cultural moment."

"The story of black men in America is one that is historically and presently too often one of difficulty and confrontation, from the experience of slavery to the current statistics about black men," said playwright Daniel Beaty. "My hope for Resurrection is that black men will feel their stories are being told in a manner that honors and challenges them, and that others will have more compassion and understanding of the complexities of issues facing the black male in America."

Daniel Beaty (playwright) has worked throughout the United States, Europe and Africa as an actor, singer, writer and composer in a variety of styles ranging from television to solo concerts to theatrical productions to opera. His one-man play Emergence-SEE! (now known as Emergency) garnered critical praise and awards, including an Obie Award for Excellence in Off-Broadway Theater for Writing and Performing, and an AUDELCO Award for Solo Performance. Beaty has appeared at the White House and at the Kennedy Center in a tribute to Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis. His work has appeared at the Public Theater, BAM, New York Theater Workshop, La MaMa, Arena Stage, Hartford Stage, Alliance Theatre, True Colors Theater Company, Crossroads Theatre Company, American Conservatory Theatre, and Yale University.

Oz Scott (Director) began his directing career on Broadway with for colored girls who considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf. He directed PTC's production Pill Hill by Samuel Kelley in 1991 and more recently directed the premiere of The Ballad of Emmett Till for the Goodman Theatre. He has participated in The Eugene O'Neill Playwrights Conference for many years, and traveled to Russia with The Old Settler for the O'Neill. His directorial work for television includes such popular prime-time shows as CSI: NY, CSI, The Unit, Boston Legal, The District, JAG, Ally McBeal, Soul Food, The Practice, Play'd, The Cheetah Girls, The Cosby Show, Northern Exposure, Chicago Hope, Picket Fences, LA Law, Hill Street Blues, and The Jeffersons. Scott is the recipient of an NAACP Image Award, the Drama Desk Award, a Village Voice Obie Award, Genesis Award, and the Nancy Susan Reynolds Award.

Turron Kofi Alleyne (20/'Twon) has starred at Lincoln Center in Fly and at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London in Twelfth Night and Pericles. He has also held principal roles in the films Blackout and Invincible. A recent graduate of the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, he appeared in numerous productions at Rutgers Theatre Company.

Che Ayende (30/Dre) has appeared in New York at Playwrights Horizons, Theatre for a New Audience and American Jewish Theater. Regionally he has been in several productions at Hartford Stage (Fences and The Cook), Long Wharf Theatre (The Day the Bronx Died), Yale Repertory Theatre (The Cure at Troy and King Lear) and Dallas Theatre Center (A Raisin in the Sun). He has had a recurring role on ABC's Loving and co-starred in the film Edge City.

Thuliso Dingwall (10/Eric), whose name is derived from a family name meaning peacemaker, has appeared in the HBO hit series The Wire, as a principal in the third season and a recurring role in both the fourth and fifth seasons. His film credits include roles in Gods and Generals and HBO's Something The Lord Made. When not acting, this thirteen-year old brown belt in Tae Kwon Do is like any other young boy enjoying video games and basketball.

Alvin Keith (40/Isaac) appeared on Broadway in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Regionally he has appeared in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom at Seattle Rep, A Midsummer Night's Dream at Guthrie Theater, Blues for an Alabama Sky at Cleveland Playhouse, and several productions at both Actors Theatre of Phoenix and Alabama Shakespeare Festival.

Keith Randolph Smith (50/Mr. Rogers) appeared on Broadway in Come Back, Little Sheba, King Hedley II, The Piano Lesson, Salome and Midsummer Night's Dream at The Public/Delacorte Theatre. Off-Broadway he has performed in Holiday Heart at Manhattan Club, Fabulation at Playwrights Horizons, and The First Breeze of Summer at Signature Theatre. His long list of regional credits includes productions at McCarter Theatre, Seattle Rep, Cleveland Playhouse, Goodman Theatre, and Virginia Stage.

Jeffrey V. Thompson (60/The Bishop) starred on Broadway in It Ain't Nothin' But The Blues, Eubie!, Amen Corner, and Uptown...It's Hot. A member of the Resident Company at Arena Stage during which time he appeared in more than 20 productions including Holiday Heart, A Perfect Ganesh, and It's a Wonderful Life.

Resurrection brings together the creative team which earned raves for Resurrection at Hartford Stage: set designer G.W. Mercier, costume designer Karen Perry, lighting designer Jason Arnold, and sound designer Michael Miceli.

In conjunction with Resurrection, PTC will sponsor a number of panel and talk-back sessions with scholars, journalists, and artists, including the popular American Playwrights in Context series event, a discussion with the playwright Daniel Beaty, on Sunday, January 25th following the performance.

Philadelphia Theatre Company is Philadelphia's only non-profit professional theater dedicated exclusively to producing world and regional premieres of works by contemporary American playwrights. Sara Garonzik has been the company's Producing Artistic Director since 1982, and in October 2007, Diane Claussen became its Managing Director. Philadelphia Theatre Company continues to experience ever-increasing national impact, having produced 34 world premieres of new American plays and musicals in its 32 seasons. Recent world premiere productions include: Unusual Acts of Devotion by Terrence McNally; The Happiness Lecture by Bill Irwin; Nerds://A Musical Software Satire by Jordan Allen-Dutton, Erik Weiner, and Hal Goldberg; Some Men by Terrence McNally (later produced at the Second Stage); Adrift in Macao, a musical by Christopher Durang and Peter Melnick (produced at Primary Stages); Bruce Graham's According to Goldman; Jeffrey Hatcher's A Picasso (later produced at Manhattan Theatre Club); Daniel Stern's comedy Barbra's Wedding (moved to the Westside Arts Theatre in 2003); John Henry Redwood's No Niggers, No Jews, No Dogs (later produced at Primary Stages); J.T. Rogers' White People; David Ives' Lives of the Saints; three-time Tony Award-winning Master Class by Terrence McNally, starring Zoe Caldwell; Bunny Bunny by Alan Zweibel (Lucille Lortel Award, 1997); and the American premiere of Birdy by Naomi Wallace, among others.

Philadelphia Theatre Company has received numerous "Best Theater Company" citations from media sources such as the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Magazine, Philadelphia Weekly, Philadelphia Style Magazine, and Philadelphia City Paper. Since 1995, Philadelphia Theatre Company has received 134 nominations and 36 awards from Philadelphia's Barrymore Awards.

PTC now enters its second season in its new home, the Suzanne Roberts Theatre designed by KieranTimberlake Associates LLP. This new state-of-the-art venue includes a 365-seat traditional proscenium auditorium designed to envelope both the actors and audience, a dramatic lobby and mezzanine level reception areas with an expansive view of the Avenue of the Arts, as well as superior patron amenities, box office facilities, and handicapped accessibility features.

For further information on Philadelphia Theatre Company and the 2008/2009 season at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, call 215-985-0420 or visit www.philadelphiatheatrecompany.org.


PREVIEWS:
Friday and Saturday, January 23 and 24 at 8:00pm
Sunday, January 25 at 3:00pm
Tuesday, January 27 at 8:00pm

OPENING:
Wednesday, January 28 at 7:00pm

PERFORMANCES:
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 8:00pm
All Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm
Wednesday matinees at 1:00pm on January 28, February 4, 11 and 18
Saturday matinees at 2:00pm on February 14 and 21
Sunday matinees at 3:00pm on January 25, and February 1, 8, 15, and 22

CLOSING PERFORMANCE:
Sunday, February 22 at 3:00pm

LOCATION:
The Suzanne Roberts Theatre, home of Philadelphia Theatre Company
480 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146

TICKET PRICES:
Friday preview, Tuesday evenings, Wednesday and Saturday matinees: $46
Thursday and Friday evenings, Sunday matinees: $52
Saturday Evenings: $59
Student, Senior Citizen and Group Discounts available

PARKING/TRANSPORTATION:
Onsite parking is available at the Symphony House InterPark lot, as well as many other parking facilities on Broad Street. The Theater is also accessible by taxi, SEPTA buses and trains, and the PATCO Highspeed line.

ACCESSIBILITY:
State-of-the-art infrared assistive listening devices
PTC provides large print, Braille and audio cassette programs upon request.
Open-captioned performance on Saturday, February 14 at 2:00pm
Audio described performance on Saturday, February 21 at 2:00pm

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT:
PTC's Suzanne Roberts Theatre, Broad & Lombard Streets
Monday-Friday 10:00am-5:30pm
215/985-0420 or 866/985-0420 or online at www.philadelphiatheatrecompany.org

SPECIAL EVENTS:
Meet the Artists: Post-show, behind-the-scenes discussion with the cast and creative team: Thursday, January 29th and February 12th following the 8:00pm performance

American Playwrights in Context: Post show talk-back with playwright Daniel Beaty: Sunday, January 25th following the 3:00pm performance

Pre-Show Wine Tasting on Thursday, February 3rd and February 19th at 7:00pm (FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY)

NEXT A post-performance reception for Young Patrons on Saturday, January 31st following the 8:00pm performance

Panel and Community Dialogues: Visit www.philadelphiatheatrecompany.org beginning January 15, 2009 to learn more about the interactive panels with prominent community leaders and journalists in conversation about race, faith, and the world of Resurrection.

PLAYWRIGHT:
Daniel Beaty

DIRECTOR:
Oz Davis

CAST:
60/The Bishop – Jeffrey V. Thompson
50/Mr. Rogers – Keith Randolph Smith
40/Isaac – Alvin Keith
30/Dre – Che Ayende
20/'Twon – Turron Kofi Alleyne
10/Eric – Thuliso Dingwall

DESIGNERS:
Set Designer - G. W. Mercier
Costume Designer - Karen Perry
Lighting Designer - Jason Arnold
Sound Designer - Michael Miceli

PRESS INFORMATION:
Deborah Fleischman
215/735-7356

TICKET INFORMATION:
215/985-0420 or 866/985-0420 or www.philadelphiatheatrecompany.org

SYNOPSIS:
In Resurrection five men from the same community ranging in age from 20 to 60 have their lives transformed by the extraordinary mind and spirit of a 10-year old boy. This story of possibility and hope examines what it means to be a black man in America today.

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